waister of an old Spanish sheet-anchor-man.

You will generally observe that, of all Americans, your foreign-born
citizens are the most patriotic--especially toward the Fourth of July.

But how could Captain Claret, the father of his crew, behold the grief
of his ocean children with indifference? He could not. Three days
before the anniversary--it still continuing very pleasant weather for
these latitudes--it was publicly announced that free permission was
given to the sailors to get up any sort of theatricals they desired,
wherewith to honour the Fourth.

Now, some weeks prior to the Neversink's sailing from home--nearly
three years before the time here spoken of--some of the seamen had
clubbed together, and made up a considerable purse, for the purpose of
purchasing a theatrical outfit having in view to diversify the monotony
of lying in foreign harbours for weeks together, by an occasional
display on the boards--though if ever there w-as a continual theatre in
the world, playing by night and by day, and without intervals between
the acts, a man-of-war is that theatre, and her planks are the _boards_
indeed.

The sailors who originated this scheme had served in other American
frigates, where the privilege of having theatricals was allowed to the
crew. What was their chagrin, then, when, upon making an application to
the Captain, in a Peruvian harbour, for permission to present the
much-admired drama of "_The Ruffian Boy_," under the Captain's personal
patronage, that dignitary assured them that there were already enough
_ruffian boys_ on board, without conjuring up any more from the
green-room.

The theatrical outfit, therefore, was stowed down in the bottom of the
sailors' bags, who little anticipated _then_ that it would ever be
dragged out while Captain Claret had the sway.

But immediately upon the announcement that the embargo was removed,
vigorous preparations were at once commenced to celebrate the Fourth
with unwonted spirit. The half-deck was set apart for the theatre, and
the signal-quarter-master was commanded to loan his flags to decorate
it in the most patriotic style.

As the stage-struck portion of the crew had frequently during the
cruise rehearsed portions of various plays, to while away the tedium of
the night-watches, they needed no long time now to perfect themselves
in their parts.

Accordingly, on the very next morning after the indulgence had been
granted by the Captain, the followin